Four-Legged Race : Canines’ Competitive Nature Unleashed With Fast-Paced Flyball

This might be the only relay team in Orange County that will happily settle for something less than Olympic gold this summer.

But then, competitors who run for the Orange County Crush aren’t into money, fame or adoring crowds.

Would you believe, Alpo?

Motivation for the 20-member doggie relay team comes more from instinct and beef treats than from any dreams of glory, but the owners swear that their canines are every bit as competitive as any two-legged athlete.

“I’ve seen dogs look at each other in the middle of a race” just like human sprinters, said Elaine Scott, a Mission Viejo resident who organizes the Orange County team. “They get very excited coming to competitions. Their times are lower at tournaments than at practice.”

Known as flyball, this is a sport for people who like to see their dogs run their furry legs off and get in a bit of obedience training at the same time. All breeds, from whippet-fast Jack Russell terriers to short-legged basset hounds, are welcome.

The Orange County Crush is part of the North American Flyball Assn., which stretches across the United States and Canada, where flyball competitions draw dozens of teams. In flyball, the rules are simple.

The dogs break from a starting line, streaking over a series of short hurdles until they reach a large box filled with tennis balls. They screech to a stop, paws slapping a large rubber plate, which sends a ball shooting out of the box. The dog catches the ball and races back over the hurdles.

Flyball competitions call for teams of four dogs. The Crush’s best team has finished the relay in as little as 21 seconds. Some of the best Canadian teams, for which Scott says dogs are bred specifically for flyball competitions, complete the course in slightly more than 17 seconds.

Border collies, known for their speed and intelligence, are the mainstay of most flyball teams. In general, herding breeds do well in flyball “because of their instincts,” said Fran Morrison, whose border collie, Tess, is one of the top Crush competitors, even at the relatively advanced dog age of 7. “Since Tess doesn’t have sheep to herd, she has to be out there running, chasing after something 100% of the time.”

Indeed, as Morrison talked, the black and white collie sat at her feet with a tennis ball in her mouth, her eyes and body language sending a clear message: “Throw ball. Now.”

Flyball is a serious business for some teams, particularly those on the East Coast and Canada, which Scott says use videotape to break down a dog’s performance.

The Crush team competes with about 10 other flyball clubs on the West Coast, traveling every two or three months to tournaments in places such as Santa Barbara or Las Vegas.

They train seriously, yet where “some teams won’t let you participate unless you have a fast dog, we want everybody to race and have fun,” said Lori Forbes, a Rancho Santa Margarita resident who owns Ember, a speedy, collie-like herding dog called a Belgian Terburen. “Our practices are like social events, and the tournaments are like daylong picnics.”

It’s a tossup between who enjoys the racing more, owner or participant. The dogs can’t wait for their chance to jump the hurdles. They stand, whining and shaking, anticipating the start signal.

Like Little League parents, all the owners yell encouragement as dogs bound their way to the ball box, collectively groaning when Fido decides to take a shortcut around the hurdles.

It takes about three months to train most dogs on the basics of flyball relay. The toughest part is teaching the dog to hit the panel with its paws to release the ball.

But most team members are certified dog lovers who are used to putting in long hours with their pets, taking them to obedience schools, flyball practice and dog shows several times a week.

“A lot of people take their kids to games, we do things for our dogs,” Forbes said. “It’s a lot of time to invest but you meet a lot of nice people that way. And it keeps your dog exercised and stimulated.”

The Orange County Crush is planning a flyball tournament June 22-23 at Windrow Community Park in Irvine, with 10 to 12 teams expected. Racing starts at 8:30 a.m. Information: (714) 893-4472.